General Discussion

Lisa D

(1,532 posts)

48. His empathy will come across as condescension.

Tue Oct 2, 2012, 11:44 AM

Oct 2012

And that's because he doesn't feel empathy--especially for the 47% who he believes "fail to take possibility for their own lives" and "feel like they're entitled to food, to shelter...."

Actually, I can only think of examples where he showed the opposite of empathy.

Look his response to LGBT people: "I didn't know you had families."

His response to a homeless woman asking for help after the flood in New Orleans: "Go home and call 211."

His response to a teacher he'd invited to a roundtable. When she tried to explain something to him, he cut her off with: "I didn't ask you a question."

Not sure this empathy gambit is going to work. You have to actually feel empathy before you can show it. Even worse for Romney, you have to make people believe it.

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Advisers Say Romney Will Show Empathy In Debate [View all] RandySF Oct 2012 OP

Oh, did they work out the bugs in the "empathy" chip? lapislzi Oct 2012 #1

+1 Whovian Oct 2012 #3

Willard is gonna be more "Lore" than "Data" n2doc Oct 2012 #12

If Romney is Lore, does that make Ryan the "crystalline entity"? The analogy works for me, lol. Erose999 Oct 2012 #47

OMG hahahaha can we hijack this thread, and just do this all night? Volaris Oct 2012 #91

+1 treestar Oct 2012 #14

Seriously, empathy is not something that's taught. Arkana Oct 2012 #35

Message: I Care reformist2 Oct 2012 #62

Something like that maybe loyalsister Oct 2012 #79

Excellent! Cha Oct 2012 #87

He has been practicing empathy too? redwitch Oct 2012 #2

This is hard! lapislzi Oct 2012 #6

I found his training tape: woo me with science Oct 2012 #42

awesome find! renate Oct 2012 #54

No he's been practicing keeping a straight face. Ganja Ninja Oct 2012 #50

........ marmar Oct 2012 #4

+1 haw! flamingdem Oct 2012 #15

How will that work? surrealAmerican Oct 2012 #5

He will also demonstrate his sense of Smell and prove he has Taste Buds slampoet Oct 2012 #7

How the hell is he going to combine "empathy" and "zingers"? tularetom Oct 2012 #8

Combine empathy and zingers... Donkees Oct 2012 #13

Ah feel your pain, but to do anything about it... DemzRock Oct 2012 #53

Ah feel your pain... Donkees Oct 2012 #55

They are so stupid....a person either has empathy or they don't. Avalux Oct 2012 #9

This is gonna be good. 99Forever Oct 2012 #10

As a therapist I find this absolutely chilling Happyhippychick Oct 2012 #11

(therapist name redacted)...is that you? lapislzi Oct 2012 #16

? Happyhippychick Oct 2012 #19

I can't call you out if you're my actual therapist lapislzi Oct 2012 #26

I'm not practicing at the moment so it's not me :) Happyhippychick Oct 2012 #29

Good luck. lapislzi Oct 2012 #33

I know exactly how you feel, I feel that with some of my patients. Happyhippychick Oct 2012 #64

What's your opinion on mittens being a sociopath? nt Javaman Oct 2012 #38

It's hard to really know with a politician since they may be putting on a persona. Happyhippychick Oct 2012 #65

I'm not a therapist but I completely agree. Practice empathy?? WTF?? nt riderinthestorm Oct 2012 #18

Exactly!! sdfernando Oct 2012 #77

I think it could work flamingdem Oct 2012 #17

I say Romney will show his ass in debate jsr Oct 2012 #20

Empathy for all Americans with car elevators? nt. OldDem2012 Oct 2012 #21

If he can fake empathy and sincerity, Nye Bevan Oct 2012 #22

That's a lot to fake, imo. Under hot stage lights (and believe me, they're HOT), even the Ship of Fools Oct 2012 #84

"This is really about introducing him to the country." Fer crissake we've been subjected to this monmouth Oct 2012 #23

He'll probably show "empathy" by handing out $100 bills to everyone in the audience. cbdo2007 Oct 2012 #24

They are going mstinamotorcity2 Oct 2012 #25

Am I not merciful? dawg Oct 2012 #27

Too late. 47% told us everything we needed to know. nt BenzoDia Oct 2012 #28

So he's learning how to act like he cares YankeyMCC Oct 2012 #30

Exactly what I thought. No DUplicitous DUpe Oct 2012 #75

See #84 -- we agree. Ship of Fools Oct 2012 #85

Empathy training? spinbaby Oct 2012 #31

Been there, seen that... BarackTheVote Oct 2012 #32

Sorry guys, but Romney's firmware doesn't accept empathy chips. Arkana Oct 2012 #34

Romney doesn't even act/perform well Sheepshank Oct 2012 #36

After reading just the title, I thought, "this has to be the onion". Javaman Oct 2012 #37

OMG. Rombot is so weird. Jennicut Oct 2012 #39

empathy with the poor 1% percenters. Historic NY Oct 2012 #40

I didn't know empathy could be planned... Comrade_McKenzie Oct 2012 #41

This message was self-deleted by its author woo me with science Oct 2012 #43

Then mean, Mitt Romney will "FEIGN" empathy in the debate. Liberal_Stalwart71 Oct 2012 #44

Will they spray it on like his tan? hobbit709 Oct 2012 #45

LOL, from what I have seen so far.... Spazito Oct 2012 #46

His empathy will come across as condescension. Lisa D Oct 2012 #48

That's my view exactly. laundry_queen Oct 2012 #76

So he'll show me empathy but not his tax returns? Johonny Oct 2012 #49

When you are still trying to convince people DearAbby Oct 2012 #51

Too fucking late and too fucking fake. polichick Oct 2012 #52

Faking sincerity is hardest part The Second Stone Oct 2012 #56

“This is really about introducing him to the country” a Romney adviser says. aint_no_life_nowhere Oct 2012 #57

That fucker's been campaiging for over a decade....and this is his "introduction?" nt msanthrope Oct 2012 #61

As many as needed until someone's willing to shake his hand. gkhouston Oct 2012 #66

To show empathy, Romney would have to change his policies kiranon Oct 2012 #58

Ha ha ha! Maybe he'll bring some home baked cookies or something... MatthewStLouis Oct 2012 #59

Oh, this is going to be *great*. MadrasT Oct 2012 #60

Someone find out where Stan Winston is jmowreader Oct 2012 #63

Sadly, Stan Winston died of cancer a few years ago. He was truly an SFX genius. entanglement Oct 2012 #73

There must still be someone good... jmowreader Oct 2012 #89

"I will now initiate humor while expressing mass quantities of empathy" aint_no_life_nowhere Oct 2012 #67

. CreekDog Oct 2012 #68

He can try it Bake Oct 2012 #69

I thought "empathy" was a codeword for "COMMUNISM!!1!" for righties ck4829 Oct 2012 #70

Mitt Romney's biggest problem is that he's Mitt Romney, and Mitt Romney is an unlikable asshole. mikeytherat Oct 2012 #71

I guess we can expect a lot of forced fake smiles then. yellowcanine Oct 2012 #72

He's going to show empathy for the persecuted rich by promising them more tax cuts. n/t porphyrian Oct 2012 #74

What? Examples in a powerpoint slide? Is he going to channel Mother Teresa? Oh, brother. n/t silvershadow Oct 2012 #78

They probably think "If Reagan could do it..." haele Oct 2012 #80

I never understood why "there you go again" was considered brilliant aint_no_life_nowhere Oct 2012 #81

Somehow, that was political gold. MrSlayer Oct 2012 #96

WTF? He has to fucking PRACTICE being empathetic??? Kick that ass to the curb. progressivebydesign Oct 2012 #82

what is this emm-pa-thee you speak of? frylock Oct 2012 #83

he's probably going to look in the camera napkinz Oct 2012 #86

Empathy can't be read off a teleprompter. baldguy Oct 2012 #88

You can't show empathy if you weren't born with that quality/trait! DearHeart Oct 2012 #90

Ok. Lemme see Proud Liberal Dem Oct 2012 #92

Do his advisors absolutely despise him or are they that stupid? grantcart Oct 2012 #93

"I'm just plain folks. A regular Joe. A man of the people. I love 100% of Americans"... VOX Oct 2012 #94

With any luck his software update will work well as the maps in the new Iphone SpartanDem Oct 2012 #95